Safe
by Calie1
Summary: He was safe, but not in that way. One Shot.


He was safe. Not in _that_ way of course. Not in the way that would have your girlfriend advising you to go out and do something spontaneous, date a bad boy, step out of your box, try something new. Chloe had done all of those things.

Her life was about spontaneity. She had to allow for situations that might arrive at the drop of the hat. That was a fact of life, her life as Watchtower.

Date a bad boy, Chloe had done that. She'd been pursued by the worst, the top of that list being Davis Bloom.

Stepping out of your box was something that had taken time. She had remained inside the box she had created for herself as Clark Kent's sidekick and the box she had created for herself with dreams of Pulitzer's. Then she stepped out, brushing aside Clark Kent, not entirely, but accepting that there were other people out there worthy of her help. She had stepped out of the dream she had created for herself as a professional, respected reporter and took on another role.

Try something new. Chloe did new things every day. Sure, walking into Watchtower, being the voice in the ear of the heroes on the street, watching them, protecting the people unaware, that wasn't new. But the experiences, the people she met, the enemies and alliances she made were all new. People with abilities, people from other worlds. There was always something new to learn.

All of the advice would have been useless for two reasons...she'd done all of those things already...and well, she didn't mean safe in that way.

Jimmy was safe in that way. He was normal. He was the man that your friend would roll your eyes at and tell you that safe isn't a relationship, it's giving in, it's giving up, and most of all it's settling. It's refusing to want more because it might be to hard and refusing to want more because you didn't think you were good enough for more.

That was the kind of safe Jimmy was. But Chloe had _needed_ to do all of those things. Do something spontaneous, date a bad boy, step out of her box, try something new. Before marrying Jimmy she had done none of that. It was a shame that a doomed young man, a murderer, had to be a part of her needed detachment from Jimmy, the man that was safe.

Jimmy was safe in _that _way, but not safe in a way that kept him alive, or kept her safe.

But it was more then Jimmy and Davis that had forced her to experience all of the above. It was a decision on her part, and one man.

She'd given it all up, stepped out of her box, accepted the spontaneity and the fact that her life would never be the same again. And when he'd fallen she didn't take the safe route she took the dangerous one, the questionable one and she'd brought him back bloody and beaten, but whole, if not a little changed.

And then from that point he was there, at her side, behind her, in front of her, wherever he needed to be, sometimes holding her back, stopping her from make the wrong decisions. He kept her safe.

In the scary world she lived in, full of questionable actions and intentions, sometimes she wasn't sure if she wanted to see the results at the end of the day. Sometimes she questioned her sanity, her decisions. And on the worst days she wondered if she would live to see thirty.

And then just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore he was there, catching her, pulling her back off, dusting her off of the fears that plagued her and telling her that it would all be okay, that he would make sure it was.

And she believed him. Maybe it was a fools belief. But there weren't many people in the world that she had faith in, trusted with her life, had reason to trust with her life, but he was one of them and if he said it would be okay, then she would believe him.

Jimmy, bless his heart, his kindness and his love for her, would not have been able to do that. Even if he had known the truth and she had been able to confide in him and he had assured her until he was blue in the face that everyone would be okay she would have only smiled gratefully, hugged him, and slowly let her smile fall as she looked over his shoulder, fear still clenching her heart.

* * *

Chloe spit the toothpaste out and rinsed her mouth quickly with water. With one glance into the mirror she frowned. She looked horrible. Having the majority of the team abroad the past couple of weeks had taken its toll. When time zones came into play it meant Watchtower got no sleep. Her face was tired, purple smudges below her eyes, face pale. Makeup hid it well, but standing there, freshly showered, hair hanging wet and limp, face free of it's disguise, she could only frown at her sad appearance. Even her clothing left a lot to be desire. Clad it a pair cotton pants and t-shirt, she was dressed more for the chilly weather and desire of sleep then anything else.

So with a resigned sigh she turned from her image, flipped the light off and walked away.

The bedroom was dark, lit only by the lights of the night sky. Come sunrise the blinds would lower of their own accord, keeping the sun out as they had been programmed to do. Money and technology brought a certain amount of luxuries, some that she had come to appreciate.

When she crawled into bed, burrowing underneath the covers and the warmth at her side she sighed in content.

"Took you long enough."

His arm opened for her, allowing her to snuggle into his side and then pulled her closer by wrapping around her shoulders. The leg not pressed into the bed slid up his body and wrapped around him while her hand settled over his chest. "I like torturing myself by staring into the mirror."

"I told you that you looked like hell." He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Thanks." She pouted slightly, needing him to deny her words instead of confirm them.

"Which is why I pulled you kicking and screaming out of Watchtower. You don't look bad. You're just tired. I knew better then to leave you on your own for so long."

"Oliver..."

"Hey..."

His hand found the side of her face, urging her to turn her face up and look at him. She sighed in slight annoyance even though she knew he didn't deserve to have it directed at him.

"I love you. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't take care of you. And part of that sometimes includes making you stop."

The concern in his eyes, in his voice, it broke her down, making her release a shuddering sigh. She was tired, worn down, emotionally strained. Scooting up his body, needing this moment of weakness, she climbed on top of him, straddled his hips, snaked her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck, hiding herself from the world. "Sometimes I'm scared one day I won't be able to take it anymore." She felt his lips on her neck, his arms wrap tightly and securely around her waist.

"I have no doubt in your abilities Chloe and I know even at your lowest point you would still be there, doing what you had to do," he whispered and rubbed her back gently.

She squeezed her eyes shut, breath catching in her throat as she tried to control the emotions threatening to take over, but she had no control over the tears that escaped her eyes. "I'm tired," she admitted softly. It was more then a physical tired, it was emotional.

"I know," he sighed almost sadly as he said it. "When I'm gone and I go to sleep, I know your still up."

She shuddered only slightly, but he must have felt it, because his arms tightened around her, pressing her body against his.

"But it'll pass Chloe. I promise you. You aren't alone here." He pulled his face away to look down on her, combing her hair away from her face. "Look at me."

Slowly she pulled away, resting her head on his shoulder and turned her face up to look at him, but still wishing to hide her weakness into his neck. His fingers slid into her hair, cradling her head.

"I love you. Trust me okay?"

Oliver smiled softly down at her, the corners of his lips turning up just slightly, but somehow it still reached his eyes. Chloe could have argued, but she had trusted him this long, and he hadn't let her down or led her astray yet. With just one smile and a few words she felt her fears ease and the panic that had settled in her chest release her pounding heart. Returning his smile was easy. "I love you too."

"Of course you do." He pecked her lips lightly. "I'm irresistible."

Chloe rolled her eyes in response. "Some things never change."

"No, which is why I am perfectly confident in my ability to persuade you into a weekend vacation."

Chloe sighed in response, because there were no vacations for them.

"Don't lecture me on duty and responsibilities Professor. You take care of us, and I take care of you."

"I know," she whispered, unable to argue with him. Because if it hadn't been for Oliver she'd be nothing, still the shell of the person he had found that fateful night in the Watchtower.

"So go to sleep," he brushed her bangs from her forehead and pressed a kissed against it, "and tomorrow wrap up the important things, call in some back up, and then we're flying out the next day. Preferably to somewhere that has a body of water between here and there."

She smiled at his words and sighed contently, not even bothering to remind him that Clark could still reach them. "I love you," she whispered softly, gratefully.

"I love you too." He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "Now go to sleep. Everything will be fine in the morning. I promise."

She pressed a kiss to his bare chest and let her eyes finally close, not fearing what she was find in their darkness or when she would wake. Not when she had his words and his arms around her. Because she believed him, she knew if he said everything would be okay then he would make it okay. He'd ease her fears, take care of when she worked herself to the bone, and when she was in danger he'd be there fighting, saving her life, her own personnel hero with a green leather fetish. That was why Oliver was safe.


End file.
